PITTSBURGH – Early in the second half of last night’s 20-10 victory over Pittsburgh, Rutgers coach Greg Schiano turned to his 5-9, 195-pound sparkplug of a running back, Ray Rice, and posed a question.

“Do you still got it in you because we’re going to ride you?” asked Schiano.

Yes, you read that right. After rushing for a career-high 225 yards on 39 carries and scoring a touchdown, Rice, the star player on one of the nation’s seven remaining undefeated teams is a bonafide candidate for the Downtown Athletic Club’s coveted bronze trophy.

“If he keeps putting up these numbers I don’t know how you couldn’t say that,” said Schiano. “He’s a young guy, but it’s all about productivity. The guys doing things that special backs do.”

Rice, a sophomore who already has become just the third Rutgers back to post consecutive 1,000-yard seasons and the only Scarlet Knights back to post four 200-yard games, saved his most special play for when his team needed it the most.

After Tyler Palko threw an off-balance touchdown pass early in the fourth quarter to trim the Rutgers lead to 13-10, Rice busted a career-best 63-yard run when the Knights were pinned on their 10 after the ensuing kickoff.

“It was an answer-the-bell type play,” said Schiano.

Rice then finished the deal with a one-yard touchdown run. He entered the game as the nation’s fourth leading rusher, averaging 149.8 yards per game. Before yesterday, West Virginia’s Steve Slaton led the Big East at 155 and Garrett Wolfe of Northern Illinois led the nation at 195.4. Rice now is at 160.5.

“I get stronger as the game goes on,” said Rice. “Remember, it’s not the size of the dog, it’s the fight in him.”